ABSTRACT: Minimizing Hydrocarbon Development Impacts in Pristine Areas: "You Can Do It, But It's Going to Cost You"

HEISE, BRUCE A., JAMES C. WOODS, and KEAN O. BOUCHER, National Park Service, Lakewood, CO

Hydrocarbon exploration and production operations occur in 11 units of the National Park Service (NPS), including national monuments, preserves, seashores, rivers, and recreation areas. The NPS's unique mandate to preserve and protect park resources while accommodating existing private sector rights presents a challenge to park staff and operators alike. Resource protection standards are among the most stringent in the country, addressing a wide variety of natural and cultural resources. Given these constraints, the petroleum industry, working in conjunction with individual parks' staff and the NPS Mining and Minerals Branch, utilizes a variety of innovative techniques to minimize the impact of oil and gas operations in these sensitive areas.

Mitigation techniques vary by park but are generally applied to all phases of oil and gas operations including (1) geophysical exploration, (2) exploratory drilling, (3) production, and (4) abandonment and reclamation. Geophysical mitigation methods include prioritized seasonal access, maximum use of existing byways, vehicle modification, minimal disturbance of vegetation, and offsetting shothole placement. Exploratory drilling mitigation methods typically include use of previously disturbed areas, containerized mud systems, use of topography and vegetation to screen sites, enhanced solids control to minimize pit size, and use of board roads and lined pads. Concerns over production operations include the impact on visitors' experience and safety, and spills from wellheads, pumps, and ipelines. These are addressed by site fencing, comprehensive spill contingency planning, and automated emergency response systems. Reclamation techniques include plugging of the well, proper disposition outside the park of all equipment and waste, and restoration of topography, soils, and vegetation.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91012©1992 AAPG Annual Meeting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 22-25, 1992 (2009)